Berk's Grapevine

Riders of Berk at Comic-Con


The Riders of Berk Comic-Con panel is now over. Although neither of us was able to attend, we've posted coverage on this post. Thank you all for your help gathering info and hopefully we get a panel next year!

Here are a couple of sources to keep you up-to-date:
UPDATES: Several new dragons, updated cast list, Mark Hamill, a Q&A, a poster, and PANEL FOOTAGE IS UP!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Unfortunately, the 15 minutes of new footage they showed at the panel (what we've all been waiting for) could not be recorded because everyone there were asked not to record the new footage for whatever reason. Despite the fact that this is unfair to the thousands of other fans who couldn't attend Comic Con (us included) who have been waiting just as long for new stuff, we have to honor the panel's odd (and unfair) decision.

SNEAK PEAK: A two minute clip aired on Cartoon Network.

Click "read more" for coverage:



UPDATE: Some pre-Con news:


September. Well, at least it's not October. I heard rumors of September 4th being the date, but they're just rumors.

UPDATE: A new promo has showed up on Cartoon Network, with about three seconds of new footage showing Hiccup and Toothless flying. Here are some higher quality images thanks to Serimon:




UPDATE: Because of Comic-Con, the iPhone/iPad app TapDragonDrop is now free. So today's a great day to get it if you haven't already.



UPDATE: It's begun, and it's a full house! Our first images of the day thanks to our (somewhat-unknowing) flock of live-tweeters:


Kung Fu Panda 3 has also just been confirmed, but that's not dragons so I mean who cares. Also Madagascar 4.

UPDATE: There's 15 minutes of footage! Also, here's a Riders of Berk live blog. It updates every few minutes and has some great information. Here's a screencap:

"The footage was spectacular and they stress how none of it was recycled from the film.The early episodes will mostly take place on Berk as the humans and dragons try to co-exist. Actually, it's largely the group of kids, lead by Hiccup and Toothless, that take on the task of training the dragons and ingratiating them into the world." — Live blog.
UPDATE: Mark Hamill plays Alvin the Trecherous, "leader of the outcasts." Stephen Root is on the cast. David Faustino plays another unknown villain. Gobber and Stoick will get new voices according to this tweeter. Stephen Root plays Mildew, a "local curmudgeon."

Slightly better picture of Mildew.
There is what seems to be another tribe of Vikings called the Berserkers. They are lead by Dagus the Deranged, voiced by David Faustino. According to the live blog, "his role will be expanded in season two." This is the first official confirmation of the second season.

Tim Conway and Tom Wilson play comedic roles as adult Vikings.


Panel images thanks to anonymous contributor.

UPDATE: New dragons! We've got Torch, the baby Typhoomerang. He's not a cross between lightning and death, but between a typhoon and a boomerang. Ruffnut and Tuffnut's Zippleback is named "Barf and Belch."

Toothless is the only Night Fury.

Stoick's dragon is indeed a Thunderdrum named Thornado. He also tries taking Toothless for a spin at one point, which is shown in that one storyboard. Based on that, it seems like Season 1 Episode 8 is going to be a father-son conflict.



UPDATE: The TV crew and film team have been collaborating to make the TV show fit nicely between the two films. It will both feel like a stand-alone series and "extra time" for the film.

Favorite moments: a halloween episode, a puzzle-quest narrative (what's that?), and Episode 8 with Stoick. 

UPDATE: A panelist mentioned "scrapped storylines" because they weren't film-quality. Well, we've seen our share of those, haven't we?

There will be a sneak peak before it airs in September.


The crowd goes wild! It was very well received.

The footage according to one tweeter: "It was amazing! The quality and music are on par with the movie, and the story development looks to be really flushed out!"



UPDATE: Here's an article on the panel from collider.com. It's not particularly informative (they even used our image!), but they did have this to say about the 15 minutes of footage:
"If the animation quality is any indicator, Dragons could easily buck the trend and become a mainstay of Saturday morning. While not quite on par with the stunning visuals from the feature, this series boasts some of the smoothest animation ever designed for the small screen." 
UPDATE: Another image of the footage. Hiccup looks a little awkward in this, but who doesn't during random pictures? So it's not really his fault.


UPDATE: DreamWorks Q&A:
Will the kids get different dragons in the series?
Peter Gal: There will be new dragons all the time. Some will be trainable, some untrainable, but the kids themselves will remain with their same dragons. They’re like best friends. That’s a pretty tight bond.
Will the stories from the two direct to DVD movies be incorporated into the show?
Gal: There will be other pieces of the mythology that follow through the series. Once we introduce a dragon we don’t believe in abandoning them. 
Are any of the bad guys going to be trying to tame their own dragons?
Doug Sloan: Alvin sees the dragons as a weapon. As we go along in season one, he will turn his attention to that. 
At some point, we also heard rumors about "dragon catchers." Don't know how that will fit in.
Are there going to be any other Night Furies?
Art Brown: As far as we know, Toothless is the only Night Fury. We actually have an episode that speaks to that at the end of season one. 
How did you come up with the designs for the dragons?
It was all done in connection with the designs from the movie. All of the dragon designs are linked to their different powers. 
When does it start?
Gal: It’s going to be coming this fall to Cartoon Network.
September.
Will there be any other types of dragons?
Art: Who sent you? (Laughs)
Doug: We do have a sea dragon and it’s a great, great episode. We have some non-flight dragons that are pretty cool, too.
Art: The unique powers of the dragons will often dictate where they’re from.
UPDATE: Here's an awesome poster-looking thing from Tumblr:


Ignore the people. Just look at what Fishlegs is wearing!
Thanks, anonymous persons!



Here's a video of Mark Hamill recording dialogue as Wolverine.

UPDATE: Some footage of the panel is finally here! Here's our playlist:



Here's a mini-review for the missing footage:
"DreamWorks then premiered a 15-minute preview of Dragons: Riders of Berk, featuring footage from five episodes. It consisted mainly of a dragon stunt competition between the children. Flishlegs, Mintz-Plasse’s character, received the biggest applause for his small mid-air loop after other dragons exploded with action before him."
UPDATE: shieldmaiden5678 posted an overview of the panel on Tumblr with a compilation of high-res images from the panel as well as a description of some of the scenes in the missing footage. Some images:




43 comments:

  1. Ya, it's premiering in September!! I was woried it wouldn't premiere until Thanksgiving in the States, just like Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.

    BTW, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COVERING THIS PANEL. I know you won't be there personally and it's a team effort getting all the information recorded and posted, but speaking personally, you guys are awesome.

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  2. OMG!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!! I can't believe we found a date!
    Also, I'm HUNTING DOWN A VIDEO. I. AM. HUNTING. IT. DOWN. ^^ And I will so tell you guys when I find it. NOT IF. WHEN.

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  3. Valkyrie: Thank you! And I think everyone was hoping for September but expected late October/Early November. But, hey, September works for me :)

    Francesva: Thank IcelandicEel, he's the one who got the date--or found it? And, um, what video are you hunting down exactly?

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  4. NEW PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! So much for "dark and deep", though. Looks pretty bright to me. But hey! Keep us hungry fans updated! ;D

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  5. Treepelt: I wouldn't judge the tone of the entire tv series from three seconds of them flying on a generally sunny day. But, we'll be sure to keep you posted!

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  6. Holy crap I wish I could see that footage NOW! xD

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  7. I wish someone had taped the footage!!! I'm dying here!!!
    But hey, it's great to know about Kung Fu Panda 3!

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  8. Oooh, Halloween episode. We can always use more of those! Gotta balance out the plethora of Christmas specials out there.

    Thanks for linking to the live blog. It's nice to get a quick sense of what was covered, to tide me over. Any word on when our informant will be able to upload the video coverage?

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  9. We're think someone taped the footage, but we're not sure. I'm not sure when we'll get it, though. And there were a ton of people there, so it's likely that a few people recorded it.

    Also, Dragons > Pandas. It's true. :)

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  10. Wait did I read that correctly? Mark Hamill is going to be in it? Luke Skywalker himself is providing his voice. Awsome.

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  11. nighytflight ravagerJuly 12, 2012 at 5:07 PM

    nighflight ravager

    oh this is what i yearn for...mpre riders of berk info...tis great

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  12. nightflight ravagerJuly 12, 2012 at 5:08 PM

    and what luck to find you commenting here chloe

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  13. Mark Hamill is the master of animated villian voices. I mean, he was the Joker and Fire Lord Ozai, and Alvin the Treacherous. Wow.

    I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FOOTAGE!! I WISH I HAD BEEN THERE!!!

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  14. OMG, I CAN'T WAIT

    HELP, MY FEELINGS

    -just floats around-

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  15. Any luck on finding video footage? I really hope someone taped the panel, that would be phenomenal...this ambiguous-ness is starting to drive me crazy.

    I'm excited though.

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  16. Not yet, but perhaps soon. I'm looking for clips at the moment.

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  17. Oh man I hope you guys find the entire thing of footage! It would make my day for sure!!!

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  18. We're pretty sure someone recorded the whole thing, but I'm looking for clips too, and it seems to be a ghost town on youtube for new httyd videos

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  19. INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, you guys just made my whole summer. Thank you so much for posting this!!!

    I was just wondering, are you guys gonna post the episodes, or is there going to be a place where i can find them? I don't have Cartoon Network.

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  20. There will be another Night Furia beyond Toothless in the episodes? o.o

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  21. OMG!! VIDEO AND PICTURE!!! O.M.G!!! YESSSS!!!

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  22. Oh and in reply to BlackRose108, 'We' was a mistype. I was saying we at the time I typed that. I meant you. And also, I'm looking hard for the 15 minute footage, and I'll give that to you if I find it. Or, you'll find it first. Whichever, as long as SOMEONE gets it so others can see.

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  23. Fancesva: That's good, keep searching! Maybe someone was a brave and noble hero and actually recorded the footage. I know people on tumblr are pretty bummed that the new footage wasn't allowed to be filmed.

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  24. I'm disappointed by Alvin, I expected more like the book.

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  25. By the way, picture #11 isn't Dagus the Deranged, it's Mildew. :P

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  26. OMG I love the picture.

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  27. Responding to Treepelt's question about whether or not we'll be hosting videos here....no we won't, we might post links to sites where you can find episodes after they air but we won't be hosting them ourselves. We will be having a full screenshot database of each episode, though.

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  28. I don't have Cartoon Network either, but I think they usually put the episode on iTunes the day it airs. Though if you live outside the US, that might be a problem.

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  29. Nope, that works for me. Thank you so much for everything that you are doing!!!!

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  30. People, I live in Europe, Portugal, and have Cartoon Network! (but in English ...).

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  31. So wait, are you saying you have the 15 minutes of footage posted somewhere, or was it not recorded?

    -ShortyLego

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  32. This was way better than I expected, especially for a TV show budget. It's also good to hear that the series will come in between the first movie and the sequel. As for Toothless being the only Night Fury I think I have a theory of what might go down in the sequel.

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  33. Anonymous: As far as we know it wasn't recorded. The panel didn't allow recording while the footage was being shown. Whether or not someone posted it anyways...we're not sure. But it's 3 days after the panel, so I'm probably gonna have to say no one's gonna see it. People have asked for a detailed description but none have really been posted either.

    All I know of what was shown was there was a "best trick" competition of the teens on their dragons and then we saw how the dragons were unintentionally wrecking stuff on Berk so Hiccup decided to make the Dragon Training Academy...or something like that.

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  34. Okay, I was just a little confused when reading the UPDATE then the NOTICE

    Thanks blackrose108!

    -ShortyLego

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  35. nightflihgt ravagerJuly 18, 2012 at 8:55 PM

    i do hope someone ill actually post the hd footage ...maybe you crownflamme?

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  36. Hey, they didn't say anything about Heather. Is she going to be in the show?

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  37. I noticed that too. My guess is she won't be as important in the larger plot of the series like Alvin or Dagus. But we do have this, which makes me think she exists.

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  38. nightflight ravagerJuly 20, 2012 at 5:23 PM

    i do hope someone ill actually post the hd footage ...maybe you crownflamme?

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  39. nightflight ravagerJuly 20, 2012 at 5:25 PM

    yah what about heather? i liked her personality! i onder if they will enlighten the rest of us!

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  40. Speaking of Heather, I have a guess. It's just a random guess, though. I think Heather could be scottish. It's just an idea though...

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  41. Nightflight, please don't expect me to deliver HD!!! XD

    I promise to do my best to deliver SOMETHING, but I'm not sure I have the resources to make it super duper crisp and awesome and live up to the scrutiny of people who are super picky about such things (it seems like that's a pretty high order! O.o).

    But I'll do my best with what I've got. For the upcoming show.

    As for the panel, I wasn't there, and therefore can't deliver squat, even if people WERE allowed to tape it. XD

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  42. NIGHTFLIGHT RAVAGERRJuly 29, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    I SAW THESE RECIENTLY ON TUMBLER

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